Foodie Friday: Chips & Salsa

Alright, alright, it’s Saturday. I know. But I didn’t want to not post this, because: a) it’s my favorite snack; b) it’s my first health blog post, and I’m excited about it!; and c) I think starting any weekend off with food is win in anyone’s book, am I right? So, just to introduce this new segment, I will be posting weekly food/health posts that will go over some everyday favorites and some healthier alternatives. We’ll talk about ingredients and nutrition and give some basic run-downs on what to look for when shopping for your favorite foods. Who doesn’t love guilt-free munching? Lets get started!

Anybody who’s anybody knows that my all-time favorite snack is chips and salsa. I always tease at restaurants to bring me a big bowl (not those dinky cups) of salsa, because “I drink it like I drink wine.” It usually results in a chuckle, but they don’t ever think I’m serious. Well, I am. However, anybody who’s a chips and salsa fiend like me knows that it can become a costly snack in regards to nutrition. So, I’ve found a healthy and nutritious alternative!

If I could live in a perfect world, my lap would constantly be occupied by Kroger’s 100% White Corn Tortilla Chips With a Kick of Lime and a big ol’ tub of salsa. Lets take a look at some nutrition facts, shall we?

I want to start off with salsa. Your typical everyday salsa will usually be about 10cal, bbuutt there are other factors to look for, such as sodium and, of course, ingredients. My all-time favorite salsa is La Mexicana’s Medium (or Hot!) Salsa. Honestly, aside from the great spice level, I primarily get it because it’s always in the refrigerated section, and I’m an instant gratification kind of gal. Its nutrition value is less impressive, however.

Source: Fooducate

This salsa contains sodium benzoate, which is a preservative that is found in not only foods but also in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. LA Times published an article all about sodium benzoate, so feel free to read it and learn more. La Mexicana salsa is also highly processed, which you should try to always keep as an automatic no-go. Additionally, it lacks Vitamin C (which I s’pose is a good thing because Vitamin C + sodium benozaote = benzene — yikes!).

If you want to down some salsa (like I do) and boast that healthy lifestyle, I recommend trying out Clint’s Texas Salsa.

Source: Fooducate

Not only are the ingredients completely raw (meaning there are none of the nasty stuff in it), but its nutritional value is ~awesome~! It also cuts your calorie intake by half if that’s your thing. With Clint’s, you can drink eat all the salsa you want without all the garbage tied to it.

Now the nitty gritty… chips. Remember those “kick of lime” chips I was talking about earlier? Well, I’m about to flood my keyboard with tears as I talk about the not-so-health-benefits inside that delicious bag.

Source: Fooducate

Alright, lets talk about my beloved. These chips contain MSG-like ingredients. Quick run-down: MSG (monosodium glutamate) is used as a flavor enhancer and has been linked to various health problems. It also contains corn syrup solids. Don’t be fooled; this is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. Both of these are sugars, but corn syrup solids are in powder form and not as sweet while HFCS is in liquid form. Neither provide any nutrients to your body, so if you’re able to avoid it all together, do it!

One of the better and still tasty alternatives pretty quickly became a favorite for me. My work actually introduced me to this gem, and it became a staple in both my boyfriend and mine’s snacking. I present to you: Food Should Taste Good’s Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips.

Source: Fooducate

With only 6 ingredients but packed with all of the flavor, you can see why these chips are the perfect snack for munching on. It is completely organic and gluten free and contains nothing but goodness. Food Should Taste Good also has other delicious flavor options such as multigrain, guacamole (yes, they have a guac flavor!), jalapeño, kimchi, and others!

Will you be trying out Food Should Taste Good + Clint’s? If you do, be sure to post on this blog what you thought of the pairing, or if you tried a different combination!

♡

P.S. What is a favorite food of yours that you’d like to see a healthier version post of?